Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

Abstract

Examples of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a body portion of a golf club head may include a front portion. A face portion may be coupled to the front portion. The face portion may include a central strike portion and a perimeter. A plurality of projections may extend from the face portion to provide a ball striking surface for impacting a golf ball. The plurality of projections may be aligned in one or more directions across the face portion and may progressively increase in size in any direction from the central strike portion to the perimeter of the face portion. Other examples and examples may be described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion including a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion, and a rear portion; 
 a face portion located at the front portion, the face portion comprising:
 a perimeter defined by a toe edge, a heel edge, a top edge, and a sole edge; 
 a central strike portion located inside the perimeter and including a geometric center of the face portion; 
 a plurality of grooves including:
 a first plurality of grooves spaced across at least a portion of the face portion; and 
 a second plurality of grooves spaced across at least a portion of the face portion and extending in a different direction than the first plurality of grooves; and 
 
 a plurality of projections defined by portions of the face portion between the plurality of grooves, 
 
 wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have the same or substantially the same width and depth, 
 wherein the grooves of the first plurality of grooves are increasingly spaced apart in a first direction from the central strike portion toward the toe edge and a second direction from the central strike portion toward the heel edge; 
 wherein the grooves of the second plurality of grooves are increasingly spaced apart in the first direction and the second direction, and 
 wherein the plurality of projections become increasingly larger in a first outward direction from the central strike portion toward the toe edge, a second outward direction from the central strike portion toward the heel edge, a third outward direction from the central strike portion toward the top edge, and a fourth outward direction from the central strike portion toward the sole edge. 
 
     
     
       2. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a truncated V-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       3. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a width that transitions from a lowermost width to an uppermost width, wherein the lowermost width is greater than or equal to 0.010 inch, and wherein the uppermost width is greater than or equal to 0.021 inch. 
     
     
       4. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a width that transitions from a lowermost width to an uppermost width, wherein the lowermost width is less than or equal to 0.012 inch, and wherein the uppermost width is less than or equal to 0.036 inch. 
     
     
       5. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a depth that is greater than or equal to 0.010 inch and less than or equal to 0.020 inch. 
     
     
       6. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a smallest one of the plurality of projections is located at or proximate the geometric center of the face portion. 
     
     
       7. The golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a largest one of the plurality of projections is located at or proximate at least one of the toe edge and the heel edge. 
     
     
       8. A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion including a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion, and a rear portion; 
 a face portion located at the front portion, the face portion comprising:
 a perimeter defined by a toe edge, a heel edge, a top edge, and a sole edge; 
 a central strike portion located inside the perimeter and including a geometric center of the face portion; 
 a vertical centerline axis extending between the top edge and the sole edge and passing through the geometric center; 
 a plurality of grooves including:
 a first plurality of grooves spaced across at least a portion of the face portion and extending in a first diagonal direction; and 
 a second plurality of grooves spaced across at least a portion of the face portion and extending in a second diagonal direction that is transverse to the first diagonal direction; and 
 
 a plurality of projections defined by portions of the face portion between the plurality of grooves, 
 
 wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have the same or substantially the same width and depth, 
 wherein the grooves of the first plurality of grooves are increasingly spaced apart in a first direction from the vertical centerline axis toward the toe edge and a second direction from the vertical centerline axis toward the heel edge; 
 wherein the grooves of the second plurality of grooves are increasingly spaced apart in the first direction and the second direction, and 
 wherein the plurality of projections become increasingly larger in a first outward direction from the central strike portion toward the toe edge, a second outward direction from central strike portion toward the heel edge, a third outward direction from the central strike portion toward the top edge, and a fourth outward direction from central strike portion toward the sole edge. 
 
     
     
       9. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have an inverted trapezoidal cross section. 
     
     
       10. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a width that transitions from a lowermost width to an uppermost width, wherein the lowermost width is greater than or equal to 0.010 inch, and wherein the uppermost width is greater than or equal to 0.021 inch. 
     
     
       11. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a width that transitions from a lowermost width to an uppermost width, wherein the lowermost width is less than or equal to 0.012 inch, and wherein the uppermost width is less than or equal to 0.036 inch. 
     
     
       12. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the grooves of the first and second plurality of grooves have a depth that is greater than or equal to 0.010 inch and less than or equal to 0.020 inch. 
     
     
       13. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a smallest one of the plurality of projections is located on the vertical centerline axis. 
     
     
       14. The golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of projections are pyramidal frustums. 
     
     
       15. A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion including a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion, and a rear portion; 
 a face portion located at the front portion, the face portion comprising:
 a perimeter defined by a toe edge, a heel edge, a top edge, and a sole edge; 
 a central strike portion located inside the perimeter and including a geometric center of the face portion; 
 a plurality of grooves arranged in a crisscross pattern across at least a portion of the face portion including the central strike portion; and 
 a plurality of projections defined by portions of the face portion between the plurality of grooves, the plurality of projections including a smallest projection of the plurality of projections and a remainder of the plurality of projections that are larger than the smallest projection, 
 
 wherein the grooves of the plurality of grooves have the same or substantially the same width and depth, 
 wherein the smallest projection of the plurality of projections is located at or proximate the geometric center of the face portion, 
 wherein the remainder of the plurality of projections become increasingly larger moving outwardly from the smallest projection of the plurality of projections toward the toe edge, 
 wherein the remainder of the plurality of projections become increasingly larger moving outwardly from the smallest projection of the plurality of projections toward the heel edge, 
 wherein the remainder of the plurality of projections become increasingly larger moving outwardly from the smallest projection of the plurality of projections toward the top edge, and 
 wherein the remainder of the plurality of projections become increasingly larger moving outwardly from the smallest projection of the plurality of projections toward the sole edge. 
 
     
     
       16. The golf club head as defined in  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of projections are pyramidal frustums. 
     
     
       17. The golf club head as defined in  claim 15 , wherein parallel grooves of the plurality of grooves are spaced farther apart toward the toe and heel edges and are more closely spaced at the central strike portion. 
     
     
       18. The golf club head as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of grooves have a truncated V-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       19. The golf club head as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of grooves have a lowermost width that is greater than or equal to 0.010 inch and less than or equal to 0.012 inch, and wherein the plurality of grooves have an uppermost width that is greater than or equal to 0.021 inch and less than or equal to 0.036 inch. 
     
     
       20. The golf club head as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the crisscross pattern occupies a substantial entirety of the face portion.